Liverpool legend John Barnes thinks Como boss Cesc Fabregas is “the favourite” to succeed Enzo Maresca in the Chelsea dugout.

Speaking to Covers.com World Cup betting, Barnes said that Fabregas is the standout candidate based on his past association with the Blues:

“I’m surprised that Enzo Maresca has been sacked, because I thought he was doing a good job at Chelsea, and I believed he was going to be the one that got it right there. There’s always been a question of whether the players they signed over the summer were his choices or not, so I think whoever becomes the next manager needs to accept that approach and just get results.”

“There’s talk of Liam Rosenior coming in, who’s doing a very good job at Strasbourg, but it’s going to be very difficult for him to come into a club like Chelsea, even though he’ll likely accept the status quo and not have much power. That’s not a good thing for a young manager, and I believe he needs more time before taking on a job like that.”

“Another option is Cesc Fabregas. Despite the fact he’s a young manager, he has a history with Chelsea, which is very important. The fans loved him and he’s done very well at Como, so I think he would be the right fit to come in at the club. I don’t think any big-name manager, who prefer to have more control, will want to take a chance by going to Stamford Bridge, so Fabregas fits the bill in that respect too. I believe Fabregas will be the favourite to come in. Whether he needs more time at Como or not I’m not sure, but I think he’ll be the one Chelsea end up selecting.”

Fabregas is in the frame but he is not the frontrunner

The 38-year-old has done an excellent job since his appointment as Como head coach at the start of last season.

Fabregas’s team are currently sitting 6th in the Serie A table, despite not being one of the biggest clubs in Italy.

As Barnes mentions, the fact that he is a young coach and he has a history with Chelsea should count in his favour. However, the Spaniard is not the leading candidate. Strasbourg manager Liam Rosenior seems to be the man favoured at this moment in time.

Who are the bookies tipping to be the next Chelsea head coach?

Rosenior is odds-on for the job at every betting firm, with Flamengo boss Felipe Luis second in the running (with odds between 6/1 and 7/1).

Fabregas is third favourite (8/1 to 9/1), with the likes of Porto head coach Francesco Farioli, Bournemouth’s Andoni Iraola and Crystal Palace’s Oliver Glasner also in the mix. Who do you think should replace Maresca? Take part in our poll below: